Hurricane Maria devastated the infrastructure of Puerto Rico – including many schools. On the main island, there are three Wildflower schools within the commonwealth’s public education system: Alheli, Flamboyan and Girasol. From our school leaders there, we have learned that our schools, teachers and families, like so many other Puerto Ricans, are without roofs, electricity, food and fresh water.
We’ve been looking for ways to support our team, and so far have shipped three generators, fans, water filtration systems, batteries and lanterns. We are now starting to send non-perishable food for students to have at school.
Our Wildflower community, which connects to Puerto Rico from our schools and offices in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Minnesota and elsewhere on the mainland, is eager to support our schools directly. We have been inspired by our teacher leaders who – in the face of near-complete destruction – have shared that they are eager to provide a safe place for students and families to learn and be together as many of them are currently without homes.
As the schools and communities in Puerto Rico begin a long road to recovery from Maria, Wildflower’s immediate focus will be meeting basic needs for our children and families.
Once we and our partners in Puerto Rico have identified their longer-term needs, we will share ways to support the rebuilding of our Wildflower school communities. In the meantime, we encourage friends and family of Wildflower Schools to join us in our support of the following much-needed humanitarian relief efforts:
United for Puerto Rico (spearheaded by the First Lady of Puerto Rico)
UNICEF
Center for Popular Democracy
Hispanic Federation’s “Unidos” page
International Medical Corps
Former U.S. presidents have expanded their One America Appeal to include recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Catholic Relief Services
Americares
Direct Relief
Save the Children, which focuses specifically on the needs of families and their children.
Global Giving has a $2 million goal for victims of Hurricane Maria
All of us in the Wildflower network are sending our love to our friends in Puerto Rico.
Photo Caption: Girasol Montessori